1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), particularly to training and simulation of CPR, and more particularly to an inexpensive take-home device for practicing and maintaining CPR skills.
2. Description of the Related Art
Various forms of resuscitation skills have been practiced for centuries, but it was not until the late 1950's that the concept we commonly refer to as cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) evolved. In 1958 a process for resuscitating victims of respiratory arrest was reported in the literature by Dr. Safar, Dr. Elam, and others. In 1960 Dr. Kouwenhoven reported on a procedure for closed-chest compression of a cardiac arrest victim. Through casual conversations in the 1960's, Dr. Safar and Dr. Kouwenhoven saw the value of combining their two procedures into what is now known as basic CPR. In 1974, standards for cardiopulmonary resuscitation and emergency cardiac care were first published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA). Now widespread dissemination of CPR skills is encouraged by the American Heart Association, the American Red Cross and others throughout the world, but the survival rate from cardiac arrest remains at an estimated 5% in the U.S. The only way to significantly increase this survival rate is to enable the general public to perform CPR quickly and effectively. The problem is that people can't remember how to do CPR. Historically, CPR students have been shown to retain 96% of their skills immediately after the learning experience, 36% at the end of 1 month, and 6.8% after 6 months. After 30 years of training the lay public in CPR skills serious problems remain with the retention and appropriate application of CPR skills primarily because of the lack of practice of CPR skills after taking a CPR course.
Simulators have been used to teach medical skills for many years. Lay personnel were trained in midwifery skills on obstetric manikins in Paris in the 17th century. Today's state-of-the-art training manikins are expensive, unattractive, and those that could be taken home are more likely to be put away in a closet than to be left out as a constant reminder of the skills learned and the need to practice them. Existing devices do not fully address the problem of significant decline in CPR skills over time because they are not designed to be aesthetically pleasing enough to be left out in plain view in a person's home reminding them of their skills and the need to practice. Some patents have described manikins that were specifically designed to be inexpensive and therefore appropriate for individual students to buy and take home and use to practice their CPR skills, however, none have the aesthetic qualities necessary to encourage the average consumer to leave out in plain view.
An early training device is disclosed in Great Britain Patent No. 791741 (Mar. 12, 1958) showing a training device with folding arms and a head. This device is meant for practicing artificial respiration only and it has two vertical springs supporting a simulated shoulder region.
Later patents teach inexpensive devices that can be used to teach and practice CPR, but almost all take a humanoid shape, and those that do not are not designed to be aesthetically pleasing. If purchased or received, these devices are more likely to be put up in a closet or drawer and forgotten than left out in a home as a reminder of skills learned and the need to practice those skills. U.S. Pat. No. 4,619,617 (Oct. 28, 1986) issued to Cecil L. Rice is an example of this observation. The abstract states that this device is intended to be “a simple and inexpensive teaching and practice aid for CPR” that permits the review of the “mental memory” aspects of CPR. Although it has airway means it does not simulate the rising of the chest when actually performed on a victim, it does not provide anatomical landmarks or other means to ensure that the fingers or hands are properly placed on an infant, child, or adult victim, and there is no feedback on proper compression force or proper compression pacing. The compression mechanism is simply a square piece of foam attached to a square block. In addition, this device lacks any aesthetic appeal to a user.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,984,987 (Jan. 15, 1991), U.S. Pat. No. 5,249,968 (Oct. 5, 1993), and U.S. Pat. No. 5,286,206 (Feb. 15, 1994) by Brault et al. reflect devices that are relatively uncomplicated and inexpensive, however, they lack aesthetic appeal. These devices are also intended for use in a classroom setting, although Brault notes that if the manikin is inexpensive enough students might obtain one to practice their skills at home. The main idea behind these manikins is to provide a manikin that is cheap enough for CPR instructors to provide one for each individual in a class and lightweight enough that the instructor can carry enough manikins for the entire class in a handheld or over the shoulder carrying case. The manikins clearly take on a humanoid shape and the compression mechanism is a resilient hollow bellows adapted to deform and reform under compressive force. The artificial lung does not effect a rise in the chest.
German Patent No. DE4201777 (Jul. 29, 1993) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,256,070 (Oct. 26, 1993) by Garth, et al., disclose a dummy for practicing CPR that is made out of foldable cardboard with pre-determined fold lines and contains a spring in the thorax to simulate the resistance of the thorax and a simulated airway. The most obvious difficulty with this dummy is the complexity a user will encounter in folding the device into a usable form.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,312,259 (May 17, 1994) and U.S. Pat. No. 5,580,255 (Dec. 3, 1996), both reflect the same device which was invented by Stephen Flynn. The manikin described is for practicing CPR and is intended to be neither unduly complex or over-simplified. This device has a human head and torso and is not aesthetically pleasing.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,423,685 (June, 1995) issued to Adamson, et al. teaches a disposable manikin that is low cost, recyclable, and durable. This manikin also takes a humanoid shape and requires folding and other assembly for use. U.S. Pat. No. 6,227,864 (May 8, 2001) issued to Egelandsdal, et al. discloses a dummy design that can be economically produced in spite of a realistic simulation. This dummy also takes a humanoid form and the torso is made of compressively deformable foam.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,530,783 (Mar. 11, 2003) issued to McGinnis discloses a method for simulating the full human torso using “common household items.” The idea is to make an inexpensive, disposable manikin that can be used in CPR classes given to children (who can often be destructive of expensive manikins). An added feature of this idea is that the children can “learn the physiology of basic aid training techniques through visual investigation or through actual assembly and disassembly of the mannequin.” Once again this device is intended to take a humanoid form and is not meant to be aesthetically pleasing. Although there have been many developments in inexpensive take-home CPR training manikins over the years, there is still a need for innovation and improvement. None overcome the significant hurdle of enticing a user to actually pick it up and practice with it at home.